Instead of Crying
by xbRiDgEtx319x
Summary: What if when Hermione left the common room to cry after Ron snogged Lavender, she ran into someone else. Someone she wanted to forget...
1. Fallin' Apart AllAmerican Rejects

**Hi everyone3 I wrote a beginning to this story, and here it is. I'll also be posting the part that I cut out in a day or two, I'll have to see how well this chapter does. Can I please get 2 or 3 good reviews, then I'll post? **

I couldn't sleep. I was lying there, staring at the ceiling, listening to the soft breaths of Ginny Weasley the next bed over. I didn't know what to believe. Yes, I'd seen him in Knockturn Alley today, but I trusted him, and I knew that he wouldn't lie to me. He loved me.

There was a soft knock on my widow, well Ginny's window, in the burrow. Outside was Draco on his broomstick, giving me a bittersweet smile and a tiny wave. I opened the window just a crack. "Can I come in?" He asked. His voice was full with sorrow, matching his eyes.

I quickly glanced at Ginny. She was sound asleep. I opened the window further, just enough for him to climb in. He sat on my bed and I followed him. "It's not safe for you to be here. If anyone, and I mean _anyone_ sees you…"

"I know, love. But I had to talk to you. It can't wait until Hogwarts."

"What is it?" I asked softly.

He started rubbing his wrists together. In the past year we'd spent together, I'd learned that that meant he was nervous, trying to put something off.

"It's okay, just say it."

"Hermione, I would never do anything to hurt you."

"I know, dear. Now please. I promise, I won't be mad." I gave him an encouraging smile and reached for his hand. He pulled it away. He curled it up into a fist and I looked sadly into his face. "Please Draco, what's wrong?"

He held out his left arm, and slowly lifted the fabric of his jacket. I gasped. Like a new tattoo, there it was, clear as day, a Dark Mark. I reached out to touch it. Although I only stroked it lightly, he still winced. It was warm. "Just this morning," he explained. "Hermione, I didn't have a choice. I'm so sorry, but I-"

"I know," I said, in a comforting voice, although inside my emotions were raging. I pulled him close and embraced him in a soft hug. I then, just slightly, just a tiny bit, placed my lips on his. Just a light kiss. But it didn't last long, just a few seconds.

"Hermione, you know what this means, don't you?"

"I know," I agreed. "This means it's over. Us, I mean."

"I'm so sorry," he said. It was the first time I'd seen a tear fall down Draco Malfoy's face.

"I know, love."

"If he knew, he'd kill you."

"Draco, you don't have to explain yourself. I understand. And I agree." He nodded and pulled me into another hug. It seemed like we stayed there for just a few seconds, crying silently on each other's shoulders. But when he finally whispered that he had to go, I realized an hour had passed since he had arrived.

"Please don't tell anyone," he told me before taking his broom from where it rested next to the window, and climbing out the window.

"I promise, Draco. I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered. "It's better this way."

"I love you." I gave him a quick kiss before he flew away. But he deepened it. I didn't want him to fly away. But he pulled back.

"It's almost morning."

"I know," I agreed, nodding, with a smile on my face, a fake smile. One you make when something is awkward and you have to fill the time.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too, Draco," I said, and then he flew away. I climbed back into bed without closing the window. I wasn't absolutely sure why, maybe because if I closed it, I knew that he wouldn't be back in. And that I'd actually have to believe it. 5th year was over, Draco was a death eater, and I, for the first time all year, was fully, truly, alone.

**THanks everybody! Tell me how you like the first chapter! I'm really liking where this is going, so I'm going to try to update a lot! 3 **

**However, I'm going to be going to camp starting 6/29/10, so before then I'll try to post 1 or 2 more chapters, and I'll be back 3 weeks after, probably 7/18/10. Thanks for reading! 3**


	2. Something More Secondhand Serenade

**So this chapter's really very short, but I wanted to explain everything, have something in between the break-up and the chapter that I had originally posted. So enjoy(: **

"Hermione, you're crying," Ginny whispered, shaking me awake. "Gosh, it's cold, was the window open all night?"

"I guess…" I said, softly. I was in a trance.

"Let's get breakfast!" Ginny suggested, smiling at me.

I nodded slightly. I couldn't stay here all day, I'd have to wake up and face it sometime. That's what I was thinking about as I pulled the window shut. That Draco wasn't coming back.

I was silent at breakfast. I didn't eat anything. I stared down at my eggs, and apologized to Mrs. Weasley multiple times for not eating, I was simply not hungry. Ron, Harry and Ginny kept asking me what was wrong, but if they did, I would just shrug.

And if Harry brought up his idea of Draco being a death eater, I would deny it, I knew he wouldn't believe me, but it was worth a try.

I saw him on Platform 9 ¾ when we were leaving for sixth year. It hurt, seeing him standing silently with his Mom, as Harry and Ron snickered about how his Dad was in jail. I didn't think it was funny. I mean, sure, he deserved it, he was a horrible man and all, but it really hurt Draco. He told me about it earlier in the summer. And just because his Father was a Death Eater didn't mean Draco would be one. Or at least, that's what I had thought at the beginning of the summer.

We shared a glance while the Weasley family was getting their affairs in order. I tried to give him a bit of a smile, but he just gave me a small wink. It wasn't even a wink; it was a small jerk of his eye. Thinking back, it could have even been him, just trying to get something out of his eye, not acknowledging me at all.

**Draco POV**

I lie awake every night. I can't stop thinking about her. I don't get it. I'm a Death Eater now, we don't let love get in our way. But I didn't even want to be a Death Eater, it was just because my Dad was, I really didn't have a choice. And now Voldemort's given me a mission. I didn't know what the hell I was going to do. I didn't even know what we were fighting for.

I breathed in and out slowly. I really didn't have a reason for going to school, other than my mission. It was absolute rubbish. And it just meant I had to see her every day. I had to eat and watch her with her friends, laughing. But this year, there wasn't much of a laugh. I missed it. And in class, she didn't raise her hand just as much. It was surprising, but nice. Whenever I heard her speak, my heart leapt. I couldn't believe I was being so cliché. But it really did happen, and I couldn't deny it. I was utterly, completely, in love with Hermione Granger.

And who was I kidding. If I wasn't in school, if I didn't see her every day, I don't think I would have made it. I would have killed myself. Just looking at myself in the mirror disgusts me. I wasn't sure if it was because of how weak and miserable I was, even though I should feel power, finally a Death Eater, something my Dad had bragged about my whole life. But mostly, I was sure that I wanted to claw my reflection apart because I knew what I had done to her. I knew I had broken her heart.

I couldn't even smile at her on the Platform the first day of school. I could only wink. And it wasn't even a good wink. It was half-hearted, my attitude towards everything since we'd broken up.

I hated what I had done, I hated that I could barely acknowledge it, and most of all, I hated I couldn't make it better, because it was who I was now. And I hated who I'd become.


	3. Damn Regret RJA

**So as promised, with reviews comes posts(: **

**Disclaimer: I DONT OWN HARRY POTTER D':**

**Hermione POV**

My heart tore. I knew it was wrong. I knew he was a death eater. It's just, I couldn't stop. I love him so much. But we'd made the right choice. We weren't meant to be.

Just, Draco was amazing. And he looked SO hot in his Quidditch gear, playing in the bitter cold. His hair had been blowing everywhere and-

"Hermione?"

"Sorry?" I apologized to Luna.

"I said congratulations on the win."

"Oh, thanks."

"Okay then, bye," she smiled and we both went up our separate staircases to our common rooms.

When I arrived the party was already in full swing. Gryffindor had won and Ron had done great as keeper. But it was only thanks to Harry's liquid luck. I scowled at the thought.

Ron looked completely content taking in all of the pride of the win. I really didn't think he should be. Taking credit for something he knew he had only achieved by cheating was quite dishonest. Ron should _not _have drank that this morning and he should _not_ have played. If only he'd been responsible. I was really very disappointed in him. That is, until Harry showed me it had all been Ron. That he hadn't used the liquid luck. Then I was proud of Ron. I was proud that he had the courage to win, even if he did need a little push. I started admiring him as he stood in the middle of the room, the center of attention for once.

Suddenly Lavender pulled herself up next to him. She kissed him passionately. He held her close, his hand in the small of her back, pulling her closer, while the other hand wove through her hair.

I was painfully stabbed in the heart. That was exactly the way Draco used to hold me. I was perfect to him, no matter how imperfect I really was. We fit together perfectly.

I turned and ran quickly out of the common room. I could already feel the tears flowing.

Where was I going to go? Where could I be alone? Well it was late by now, the whole castle was deserted. I'd turned the corner and collapsed on the bottom of a staircase. It was the best I could do.

"Hermione?"

The voice sounded as if an angel muttered it.

"DRACO!" I exclaimed, and clutched him around the torso, crying loudly into his chest. He was a bit taken aback, and patted me a bit on the back.

"I'm-"

"Hermione?" Someone called from the top of the stairs. "Hermione?" I heard the footsteps stop. "Hermione?"

Harry was standing, dumbfounded in the middle of the staircase.

"Harry!"

"Oh Hermione." He pulled me away from Draco and into a huge hug. "I can't believe Ron would do that."

"It's okay, Harry," I sniffed up. Couldn't he just leave me alone?

"No, no it's not, and now you're hugging Malfoy!" He said, pulling away and glaring at Draco, who was watching us, helpless.

"I think I'm just going to go to bed…" I told him, climbing the stairs.

"Okay, come on," he took my hand and led me up the stairs.

I quickly whipped my head around and mouthed two sacred words.

"Wait here."

"Harry, I'm going to grab some tea from the kitchens before I go to sleep."

"Alright, I'll come with you."

"No, you enjoy the party, I'll be okay."

"Are you sure, Hermione? I don't mind."

"It's okay, I'm going to get some tea and go to bed, and nothing is going to happen."

"Uh, alright then."

"Bye Harry. Have fun!" I told him, and he continued on to the common room.

Once he was around the corner I practically ran back to Draco.

"I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, wrapping myself around him again, nearly knocking him down. "It was so horrible, but we can work through this! I just want to be with you!" I pulled away from his chest and kissed his lips quickly and hard, again and again. "I love you so much," I told between kisses.

"I" _Kiss. _"Thought I'd" _Kiss _"Never" _Kiss_ "Hear you" _Kiss _"Say that" _Kiss_ "Again." He stuttered.

"I want to help you," I told him, finally pulling away. "It was childish for me to run away when I should have just stayed with you."

"Hermione, I can't focus on this right now."

"I know," I was breathing heavily.

"Let's try to find an empty classroom," I nodded forcefully.

I jumped onto his back and started kissing his neck as he walked forward. It was amazing; As if nothing had changed between us.

"Hermione, I can't go any farther. This is too hard, I can't focus on walking," He panted, moaning.

I hopped down, about to pin him against the wall when there was a flurry of movement at the end of the corridor.

I figured it was nothing, so I ignored it. Okay, I admit, I knew it was something, but I was too turned on to pay any attention.

"Hermione?" I should have. "WHAT THE FUCK?"

I turned, red faced to face Ron with Lavender clutching his arm tightly. I smiled sheepishly.

"MALFOY?"

I grabbed Draco's hand and ran. And ran. We ran all over the school, anything to keep from facing Ron


	4. Secrets OneRepublic

**Thanks for reading everyone! :D **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters :(**

The next morning I awoke in a bed that wasn't my own. I could feel someone's cold flesh beneath my bony fingers. "Draco?" I whispered quietly.

"Hermione," he moved his arm so that it wrapped around my shoulders, and pulled me closer.

"Where are we?" I could feel his head moving, and then he sat up, pulling me with him. I fingered the curtains wrapped around us. Emerald green.

"We're in my dormitory." He stated, quietly.

"So there are, other…?"

"Yeah, my roommates."

"Draco," I whispered urgently, "How the hell am I going to get out of here? Your room, your common room!"

"Shush Hermione, we'll figure it out…" He smiled, pulling me closer. I fingered the hems on my robes that I seemed to still be wearing.

"Morning Draco!" A voice called from outside the curtains.

"Morning Crabbe…" He greeted, with much less enthusiasm.

A hand wrapped around the edge of the curtain.

"No! I'm uh, naked…" He lied. "I'll meet you at breakfast."

"Oh, alright then. See you."

"Yeah."

"You know you've got four shoes here, why do you-"

"My extra pair. I'll meet you there, okay?" Draco insisted.

"Of course of course." His footsteps left the room.

"What do we do?"

"We calm down. Once everyone goes to breakfast, you can leave." He instructed me. He was always calm.

So we waited. Ten minutes after Crabbed left, there were more footsteps, grunts, and then it was silent as he left the room.

"I'll go check now, shall I?" He asked, after what seemed like hours. More footsteps had just left about five minutes ago.

"Yes," I agreed. "Please," I smiled up at him. I finally felt right after so many months. There had been a hole in my chest, and I could barely face anything.

"It's empty, just about ten o'clock," he told me, entering the room again. "You might want to leave now, before they all start coming back…"

"Yeah," I scrambled out of bed, and slid my shoes on.

"Hermione?" He said from his bedside as I reached the doorway.

"Yes Draco?"

"I missed you," He told me, smiling.

I pulled him into a hug again. "I missed you too." He kissed me lightly on the forehead.

And on that happy note, I left, not hungry for breakfast, but on the intent of returning to the Gryffindor common room in lifted spirits. After all, I'd woken up with the man I love.

"Hermione! Where the hell have you been?" Ginny screamed from below me on the stairs.


	5. Dirty Little Secret AllAmerican Rejects

**Hey everyone! :D I'm back, and posting again! It feels good(: hope you enjoy**

"Hermione! Where the hell have you been?" Ginny screamed from below me on the stairs. I turned to face her. She ran to catch up. "Ron was completely freaking out this morning. I didn't see him last night, but Dean told me he was in a mood. And Pavarti said you hadn't come back last night. Then Lavender giggled and they both burst into a fit of laughing."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Well? Where were you?"

"Oh, it's just, I was a bit worked up is all. I think I'll go take a nap, maybe get some tea from the kitchen first."

"Oh no you won't! Harry and Ron have both been bugging me about seeing you. They said you have to stay in the common room, that you all need to talk."

"But you see, Ginny-"

"Gillyweed." She said, and the portrait hole opened easily. "What? You were out with your lover?"

"I think I'm going to go to bed."

"NO! You have to wait for-"

"HERMIONE!" Ron's voice could be heard through the entire room. I looked up from my armchair to see them. Harry's face was disgusted and Ron's was red. Absolutely, utterly, completely red.

"WHAT. THE. FUCK." Harry stated.

"Hello Harry. Hello Ron," I smiled sheepishly.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked.

"Ron and I found this one snogging Draco Malfoy last night, didn't we, love?" Lavender sneered, while beaming with a look of disgust. She skipped in and clutched onto Ron's arm.

Ginny's eyes widened and she stared at me in shock.

"I can't look at you the same," Harry told me. "How long?"

"What?" I asked, innocently.

"HOW LONG?" He demanded. "How long was this, this-"

"HORRIBLE, GROSS, DISGUSTING, FUCKING COMPLETELY FRUSTRATING COTASTROPHY."

"Yeah, what he said."

"Well you see, all of last year, but then, we broke up…and then last night, it's just, I missed him so much, and well, Ron, you and Lavender, you were so cute, and I wanted to be with him again, and yeah…"

"ALL OF FUCKING LAST YEAR! BLOODY HELL!"

"Oh, shut up Ronald."

"So none of us are your friends if you couldn't trust us like this?" Ginny demanded.

"NO! No, of course not Ginny, love, it's just that we knew you would all react like this. We knew how against it everyone would be, and we love each other, we didn't want you to stop us."

"Oh, well this is just swell, looks who's up and fallen for a Malfoy!"

"It's not like it's much worse than you and Lavender!"

"That's different Hermione, they're both in Gryffindor, and Lavender is not…" Harry trailed off. There wasn't one good trait about Lavender Brown.

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! I love him. We were apart once, and we couldn't bear it: either of us. So now, Draco Malfoy and I are going to be together whether you lot like it or not." I stood up and stalked out of the common room to sulk on the grounds.

I must have looked horrible because suddenly there were arms around my shoulders and a soft whispering in my ears.

"Shh. Don't cry, love. What happened?"

"They know. And they're _PISSED_. They were my best friends, but they just don't understand."

"It's okay, shhh, it'll be fine," he cooed.

"Draco. You might not want to hug me here. You see-"

"Lavender Brown knows. It doesn't matter who sees us from here on out, in the next hour it will be all over the school."

"It's all my fault. If I hadn't been a stupid idiot and gone around crying, and then fucking kissing you in public, this never would have happened."

"You can't blame yourself, darling. You didn't know. Hermione, look at me," he took my chin is his big, strong, yet bony hands and turned my head to face him so that my tear-stained eyes couldn't help but look him in the eye. "I love you. And that's all that matters." I smiled back at him.

All that matters. All that matters to Draco Malfoy is me.

**There's more, because I can't just break up the Golden Trio and get away with it, can I? But bear with me, because I have an idea but it's not written. Thanks so much for your support! I love everyone who reviews! (The very few people.) So remember 3-5 for the next chapter! **


	6. Back To Me AllAmerican Rejects

**Read and Review! I'm so glad the last chapter was a hit! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything here. **

**I'm really glad this story is a hit, and I hope I don't push it, but next time, I'm asking for 5-7 reviews! :D It's not that bad and it'll help me get it all written out if I know people really want to read it! :D**

I felt a jerk on my side and I sat up quickly, blinking my eyes.

"Wake up Hermione! Quidditch today!" Lavender exclaimed, her eyes sparkling and happy.

"Yeah, it's Ron's first day as keeper," Pavarti said, and Lavender shoved her shoulder.

"Gosh Hermione, you were out cold."

"What?" Hermione groaned.

"Yeah, you must have been having some dream. Was it sexual?"

"Gosh Lavender, you can't just ask people if their dreams were sexual!"

"Well she was moaning an awful lot. I could barely sleep. And I need my beauty sleep."

"Especially if you're going to do what I think you're going to do tonight after the game."

"Shut up Pavarti!" Lavander screeched and chased her into the common room.

I looked around. So I'd been dreaming. The game hadn't even happened and me and Draco sure as hell weren't together. Well this was just swell.

Wait, me and Draco weren't together. That means no one ever found out and I was still friends with Harry and Ron. I rushed down to the common room and when she saw Harry she gave him a big hug. "Harry!" I screamed.

"Hey Hermione," He said, a bit shocked.

"You're a great friend," I said, overjoyed that I hadn't ruined anything. Except my relationship with Draco. And that had to stop, now. My moping, my depression. It all stopped now, because I can stop it and I will. I am the brightest witch of my age and I will find a way to be with the man I love. "I'll meet you at breakfast!" I exclaimed before dashing away to write a note to Draco. I borrowed an old barn owl, because I knew that no one would recognize it, and sent him a note saying I wanted to meet with him tonight, just to talk. But if my plan went well, we would be doing a lot more than talking. She sure did hope that he missed her as much as she missed him.

I smiled when he received the note at breakfast, and tried to decode his body language. But nothing. He seemed just as nervous as ever. "If only that were just Quidditch nerves making you act so crazy," I muttered.

"Yeah. Wait, what do you mean, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," I quickly covered my tracks. I couldn't wait until tonight!

**Sorry if that was a dissappointment, because I certainly know that making something a dream pisses me off, but I felt it was the only way out. And I'll make it up to you guys. I haven't written the next part yet, but I promise it'll be really good(:**


	7. This Ain't ALove Song Scouting For Girls

**Sorry if it's not as great as I'd promised, or hoped :( **

"Draco?" I called into the empty classroom. I'd asked him to meet me here because this was where we would hang out last year. 'Hang out' used as a very broad term. "Guess not," I said and pulled out the spare piece of parchment that I took from Harry out of my pocket. "I solemly swear that I am up to no good," I said. Ron and Lavender were in the hallway a floor above me, and Draco was coming up the nearest staircase. I looked again and smiled. He was coming! I smiled. I was more excited than when we had first gotten together. I remember how happy he made me, but this was ten times that.

"Hermione?" He asked, opening the door just a crack. I ran towards him and gave him a hug.

"Whoa!" He said. "Knocked the wind out of me there for a second."

"Yeah," I said. I stood back to look at him then broke into a huge grin.

"So what's this about?" He asked.

"Well…" I said. Suddenly I had nothing to say. There was a huge lump in my throat and I looked down at my feet.

"Yeah?..."

"I miss you!" I blurted out.

"What?"

"We rushed into a decision, and I don't think it was the right one."

"Hermione, you know why we can't do this."

"No, I don't! Because I've been miserable and I really hope you've been miserable too because I want to try making this work."

"I'm sorry, but it's too hard."

"You can't honestly say that you're over me!"

"I can, and I am. I'm sorry Hermione, but I just can't be with you."

"I love you!" I screamed in a last resort.

"Well I don't love you, so you have to calm down and stop embarrassing yourself." I fell to the floor on my knees and looked at him in desperation.

"Please," I whispered, absolutely begging by now. I was in tears, almost ready to reach out and grab his ankle. But I let him go. I let him walk away and as I sat against the abandoned desk and cried my eyes out.

I returned to the common room where there was this party for the Quidditch match. As soon as I got there however I retreated back to the empty classroom. Who had I been kidding, thinking I'd be able to be in the company of celebrating Gryffindors right now. Not to mention Ron snogging Lavender Brown. It struck me like a stunning spell how envious I was of the bimbo and my best friend. It sickened me. I knew that I'd never be able to do that with Draco, any PDA was off limits with us, not that it mattered now that I knew that he was over me and I had no chance with him. And that thought just made me cry more. But if anyone saw me, I'd play it off as jealousy for Ron.

**So that's it, and that's all that I have written for now, so reviews help me write more, because I currently have a deep state of writer's block from here and if I get some reviews that will DEFINATLY help! :D I love all the people who read my stories, even if it's not a lot. So yeah, love you and keep reading/writing! **

**(also if anyone has a great Rose/Scorp fic that they think I should read, I'd love to read it, I love finding new fics!)**


	8. Misery Maroon 5

**This is going to be a short chapter, sorry folks! Thanks for the reviews and support, I love you people! **

I returned to the common room where there was this party for the Quidditch match. As soon as I got there however I retreated back to the empty classroom. Who had I been kidding, thinking I'd be able to be in the company of celebrating Gryffindors right now. Not to mention Ron snogging Lavender Brown. It struck me like a stunning spell how envious I was of the bimbo and my best friend. It sickened me. I knew that I'd never be able to do that with Draco, any PDA was off limits with us, not that it mattered now that I knew that he was over me and I had no chance with him. And that thought just made me cry more. But if anyone saw me, I'd play it off as jealousy for Ron.

Ron was a perfect person to make Draco jealous. Especially if he heard that we'd be going to Slughorn's Christmas Party together. Except now that he was with Lavender, I'd have to find other arrangements. It occurred to me that I could take Cormac. He seemed perfect, arrogant and cocky, yet a Gryffindor. It still bothered me that whenever Harry or Ginny or anyone was wary about my behavior that I had to play it off as jealousy because of Ron, not heartbreak over Draco, but I supposed it worked because they didn't mention it often.

I really was devastated that he had rejected me, and moreover that he told me he was over me. I cried a few nights on end about it, and sometimes caught Lavender smirking in her sleep. She thought I was crying over Ron.

After the Christmas Party, I found myself cornered in the hallway by a hooded figure. "Um, excuse me, but-"

I felt another's lips being thrust upon mine. I recognized him, and when I pulled away, also recognized the silvery blonde hair. "Hello Draco," I said.

"Hey," he replied. "So….I thought about what you said. And, I came to the conclusion that it was wrong to lie to you."

"Oh you did. And what did you lie about?"

"Well, moreover, it sickened me that you were with McLaggen."

"I thought it would," I replied. "But what did you lie about, I want to know."

"Well, you know, the whole, over you thing. 'Mione, look. I'm a Death Eater now. And he's like chosen me for this mission. And I didn't _want _to lose you, but if you can see past all of that and still forgive me. Then, I want us to try."

"Really?" I looked up at him, my eyes full of hope and anticipation.

"But, we need to be even more secretive than ever, because he could hurt you. And I mean, _really _hurt you, maybe even kill you if he found out."

"Oh, I promise!" I cried, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him with all my might. The time had passed slowly since the day of the Quidditch match, but I knew now that it was worth it, because it made the thrill of being in his arms again so much greater.

**Possibly the shortest chapter I've ever posted in a long story that I'm writing, but I needed it to get along with the story. Unfortunatly, I don't exactly know where it's going...the point of the story was at first the dream sequence (and more importantly during the party) and I just kind of liked it so I expanded it. Reviews help me come up with new ideas for what happens next! :D**

**3-5 reviews please!**

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	9. The Story of Us Taylor Swift

**Sorry I haven't posted in a while! I got a bit caught up in school and stuff :( i really haven't been online here much, but i miss it. Also, this is the end, and i'm sorry to end so abruptly, but it wasn't really flowing anymore, and the whole thing was supposed to be about the beginning. Anyway, thanks so much to anyone who read this, and stuck through with it until the end! I love all my readers! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

Time passed and we continued to see each other in secret. Around Harry and Ron I still had to act depressed, but it was all a lie. I was ecstatic; the happiest I've ever been.

It wasn't like we could be together _all _the time, we always had to study, and Draco was often running off and being really secretive. And it didn't help that Harry always had the Marauder's Map out. I nicked it a few times, but I always had to put it back before he noticed.

And then it happened. After Harry went off on his adventure with Dumbledore, I snuck out to patrol the hallways for a little while. "Draco?" I called out.

"Oh! Hermione, hey!" he said, stunned.

"How are you?" I asked, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I feel like it's been ages since we've talked or, well, anything."

"Look, Hermione, I'm so sorry, but I can't do this?"

"What?" I looked into his eyes, hurt and confused.

"I told you, I'm a Death Eater. And I'm pretty sure that this was all inevitable. We knew that it'd come between us someday."

"Yeah, but-"

"I'm just trying to protect you, 'Mione. Bye," he said, kissing my forehead and strolling off in the other direction. Alone. And towards the seventh floor. I didn't piece it together then, but I did later that night.

And that's when I returned to the common room. Alone for once, cold, and full of a fiery rage.

**Epilogue**

It felt like my entire body was on fire. I screamed, but that didn't help. I could feel myself cringing away from her. When the pain finally ceased, I could faintly hear my name being called.

She was asking about her Gringotts vault. We've never been into her damn Gringotts vault, we found the _real _sword.

I looked desperately up at Draco. He was watching with pained eyes, but saying and doing nothing. I couldn't believe him. After all we'd been through he could just watch me being tortured and not do _anything_? If we ever get out of here, I'm not saying another _word _to him for as long as I live.


	10. Epilogue19 Years Later

I thought that this deserved a nice little epilogue(:

**19 Years Later…**

_Oh Ron, I can't believe you're pressuring them already _I thought, but I laughed along with the rest of our families. Until I caught sight of where everyone was looking. At Draco Malfoy. Who was standing with his wife and child. Damn him, damn his family, damn everything about him.

And how dare he act civilized towards Harry. Why the hell did he do that? Sure, we may have saved his life, but that was only because…well I couldn't explain why. But it wasn't something I wanted to remember about him. No, the only thing I wanted to remember about Draco Malfoy was the way he'd acted as his aunt tortured me. Me! The one he'd once believed to be his true love. Well isn't he just full of bullshit. Just like his little nod, that was bullshit, he's not thankful, he's never thankful for everything. I learned that when he watched his ex-girlfriend get tortured without saying anything.

I cried when Rose's hand, waving out of the window of the train, disappeared around the corner. That was my little girl, gliding away from me on the scarlet train. "It's something, isn't it? Their first day of Hogwarts?" A smooth voice behind me said. I turned around and there he was. Miraculously, his wife had disappeared, and my family was talking in a tight-knit circle, a bawling Lily at the center.

I tried to keep my voice calm as I said, "Please move aside." I hoped he could pick up a tone of iciness in my voice. I don't think it worked.

"We're both adults here, Hermione."

"Yeah well, I disagree. An adult is someone who sticks with their promises, for example, when they say they'll love someone forever, they don't let them get tortured without saying anything."

"You know I only broke it off because I was a Death Eater."

"I am aware. And I'm not being hostile towards you because of that. I'm very happy. I married Ron Weasley and have two kids."

"I know."

"I, Mr. Draco Malfoy, have values. I don't meddle with the wrong people."

"They were my family, what was I supposed to do?"

"Maybe defend me, maybe _help _me! But I'm sorry, I guess I hadn't realized that when you become a Death Eater you lose all human emotion. Maybe that's something I should have known, since you were distant the entire sixth year." And that's when I pushed past him, making sure to hold my head high and brush my shoulder against his harshly.

"Hermione," He called after me, but I didn't turn around. "I'm sorry."

"I don't believe you. Malfoy's are above guilt, aren't they?" I faced him again, tears coating my cheeks now, for Rose and for him.

"You really shouldn't be crying, your daughter will be back for Christmas." I said nothing. "You know, my little Scorpius is starting today as well."

"That's nice."

He reached up a thumb and wiped my cheek clean. "I really am sorry," Draco said. And with that, he kissed my cheek and disappeared into the mist.


End file.
